Representative Team News: Great Britain name team

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Hall and Gildart head home from Great Britain Rugby League Lions tour Great Britain winger Ryan Hall and centre Oliver Gildart will head home from the Lions tour in New Zealand after both were ruled out through injury.

Gildart, 23, dislocated his shoulder in the opening tour game against the Tonga Invitational XIII but has remained in camp as part of the squad for the last ten days but with the team relocating to Christchurch on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s clash with New Zealand, he will now fly home to Wigan to continue his treatment ahead of the new Betfred Super League.

Hall, 31, suffered a subluxation of his left patella five minutes from the end of Saturday’s narrow defeat to the Kiwis in Auckland.

He has returned to Sydney to continue his recovery with his club side, Sydney Roosters.

The Great Britain squad were already without Sam Burgess, Tommy Makinson, Mark Percival, Luke Gale, Kallum Watkins, Stevie Ward, Morgan Knowles and James Roby through injury before the tour departed.

The Lions management have opted not to bring any replacement players into the squad.

Head Coach Wayne Bennett commented, “We have every faith in the ability of the players within our squad to get the job done. It is disappointing for Ryan and Oliver that they have had to leave the tour through injury.”

Great Britain have had good news on prop Luke Thompson who returned to training on Tuesday after suffering a rib injury against Tonga.

He has been included in Wayne Bennett’s 21 man squad for Saturday’s Test in Christchurch with Jack Hughes named in the initial squad at centre with Zak Hardaker reverting to the wing. Hughes was made co-captain of Warrington Wolves in 2019, helping the club to victory at Wembley against St Helens in the Challenge Cup as a second row.

The 27-year-old, who captained the England Knights in 2018 on their tour to Papua New Guinea, began his career as a centre and has played the position for Wigan and Warrington during his career.